Toilet bowl deodorizer



y 1966 J. L. THOMPSON 3,249,951

TOILET BOWL DEODORIZER Filed July 24, 1963 INVENTOR Joy/v L. THOMPSON BY W4 Wfi 21- ORNEYS United States Patent 3,249,951 TOILET BOWL DEODORIZER John L. Thompson, 1356 Rutlgear' Road, Walnut Creek, Calif. Filed July 24, 1963, $61. No. 297,312 2 Claims. (Cl. 4229) This invention relates to apparatus for controllably dispensing fluids such as deoderizers, disinfectants, and the like into a toilet bowl.

An object of the present invention is to provide improved fluid dispensing apparatus of the character described that can be readily manufactured as a substantially integral portion of a toilet bowl seat, and which eliminates the need for visible external attachment appliances which are often undesirable because of their unsightly appearance.

Another object of the present invention is to provide improved apparatus for dispensing fluids into a toilet bowl which operates in conjunction with the toilet seat, so that a predetermined quantity of fluid is dispensed when pressure is applied to the seat, such as when a'person sits down on the seat. Further in this regard, an object of the invention is to have the fluid dispensed right at the time that the person sits down, as opposed to the time when the person gets up or when the toilet is flushed, whereby the dispensed fluid is present in the toilet water for the period that the person is seated.

Still another object is to provide a dispenser of the type described which will be inoperative for the dispensing of fluid into the toilet bowl when the usual hinged cover is lowered onto the toilet seat.

A- further object is to provide apparatus of the char acter described which can be readily installed with existing toilet fixtures, and which can be inexpensively constructed of suitable plastic.

The invention possesses other objects and features of advantages, some of which, with foregoing, will be set forth in the following description of the preferred form of the invention which is illustrated in the drawing accompanying and forming part of the specification. It is to be understood, however, that variations in the showing made 'by the said drawing and description may be adapted within the scope of the invention as set forth in the claims.

Referring to said drawing:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of a toilet ing a seat embodying the present invention.

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In more detail now, the seat 12 is preferably constructed to include a hollow flexible upper seat portion 14, which is mounted on a rigid base member 16, as is best shown in FIGURES 3 and 4. The flexible upper portion defines a chamber -17 which extends generally along the seat 12, and Which communicates with the reservoir 13. A pair of flapper valves 18 are disposed within the forward part of the chamber 17 as shown in FIGURE 2, and these valves each operably mounted in one Way blocking relation to an orifice 19 in the bottom of the seat 12 as best shown in FIGURE 5. The valves 18 are adapted to allow flow of air through the orifices 19 only inwardly in to the chamber 17, and block outward flow therefrom. The chamber 17 preferably is filled with a resilient porous material 21 such as foam rubber or the like, which permits flow of air through the chamber while providing cushioning structural support for the seat.

Concerning reservoir 13, and referring to FIGURES 3 and 5, the reservoir comprises a housing 22 which is mounted in a suitable opening 23 formed in the back portion of the seat 12. The housing 22 is provided with at least one ejector tube 24, and preferably with three as shown, communicating with the reservoir and extending downwardly whereby fluid is expelled from the reservoir FIGURE 2 is a plan view of the structure shown in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a cross sectional view taken along the plane of line 3--3 in FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 4 is a cross sectional view taken along the plane of line 44 in FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 4 is a cross sectional view taken along the plane of line 5-5 in FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 6 is a cross sectional view taken along the plane of line 66 in FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 7 is a partial cross sectional view illustrating a modified embodiment of the invention.

Regarding now a preferred embodiment of the invention as shown in the drawings, there will be seen in FIGURES 1 'and 2 a toilet 11 including an oval ring seat 12 of generally conventional external appearance. The seat 12, however, is so designed and constructed that pressure applied to the seat will cause fluid deodorant or disinfectant to be expelled into the toilet bowl from a reservoir 13 contained within the seat. In this respect the seat is provided with a flexible upper portion adapted as will become apparent to operate as a pump for forcing fluid out of the reservoir into the toilet bowl.

into the toilet bowl. Orifices 26 are provided in the uppery side walls of the housing 22 to place the reservoir 13 in communication with the chamber 17. A suitable deodorizing fluid 27 can be filled in thereservoir up to a position below the orifices 26, with access for filling being provided through an opening 28 in the top of the housing 22 which is normally closed by a suitable plug From the foregoing it will be apparent that as a person sits on the flexible seat portion 14 the chamber 17 is compressed so as to force the fluid 27 through the tubes 24 into the toilet bowl. The valves 18 at this time prevent air from being forced out through the orifices 19. When the person rises from the seat 12, the resiliency in the flexible portion 14 causes it to resume its normal undeformed configuration, whereupon a vacuum tends to be created in the chamber 17. Consequently, air is drawn into the chamber 17 through the orifices 19, with the valves 18 opening to permit this flow, whereby the seat is ready to dispense fluid at a later time when weight is again placed on the seat.

In order to prevent the dispensing of fluid when the usual toilet cover 31 is closed in overlying relation to the seat 12, a rigid portion 32 is provided at the front of the seat as best shown in FIGURE 6. The rigid portion 32 is preferably constructed integrally with the base 16, and serves to engage the cover 31 to prevent it from hearing against the flexible portion of the seat. Consequently, when a person sits or places weight on the cover 31, the chamber 17 is not compressed, and thus fluid is not dispensed. v

An alternative embodiment of the invention is disclosed in FIGURE 7, wherein is shown a seat 12' having a rigid upper portion 14' and a relatively resilient deformable lower portion 16. The seat 12' thus affords a rigid upper supporting surface, yet allows the chamber 17 to be compressed by means of the flexible lower portion 16 to force fluid into the toilet bowl in accordance with the principles of the invention.

From the foregoing it is apparent that the present invention provides a useful and simple mechanism for dispensing fluids into a toilet. Moreover, by simply replacing a conventional toilet seat with the seat 12 as described hereinabove, a standard toilet bowl is quickly and readily modified to utilize the advantages of the present invention.

What is claimed is:

1'. Apparatus of the character described comprising a resilient deformable annular member defining a variable volume chamber therein adapted to have its volume varied in accordance with deformation of said member, valve means mounted on said member for allowing airflow into said chamber and blocking air flow outwardly therefrom, said member having front and rear portions with the rear portion having means adapted to be hingedly mounted on a toilet bowl, means defining a reservoir mounted within said member adapted to contain a fluid and having orifices communicating respectively with said chamber and ejector means communicating with the atmosphere, said chamber upon being contracted being adapted to force fluid out of said reservoir through one of said ejector means into the atmosphere and being adapted to draw air into said chamber when said chamber is expanded from its contracted state.

2. Apparatus as described in claim 1 further defined by a rigid base member being the underside of said annular member, said base member including a rigid front portion extending upwardly as high as the upper surface of said annular member, said front portion being adapted to support a rigid cover overlying said annular member to prevent it from deforming the annular member and contracting said chamber, and resilient porous material disposed in said chamber in supporting relation to the upper side of said annular member.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS LAVERNE D. GEIGER, Primary Examiner.

H. KLINKSIEK, Examiner. 

1. APPARTUS OF THE CHARACTER DESCRIBED COMPRISING A RESILIENT DEFORMABLE ANNULAR MEMBER DEFINING A VARIABLE VOLUME CHAMBER THEREIN ADAPTED TO HAVE ITS VOLUME VARIED IN ACCORDANCE WITH DEFORMATION OF ASAID MEMBER, VALVE MEANS MOUNTED ON SAID MEMBER FOR ALLOWING AIRFLOW INTO SAID CHAMBER AND BLOCKING AIR FLOW OUTWARDLY THEREFROM, SAID MEMBER HAVING FRONT AND REAR PORTIONS WITH THE REAR PORTION HAVING MEANS ADAPTED TO BE HINGEDLY MOUNTED ON A TOILET BOWL, MEANS DEFINING A RESERVOIR MOUNTED WITHIN SAID MEMBER ADAPTED TO CONATIN A FLUID AND HAVING ORIFICES COMMUNICATING RESPECTIVELY WITH SAID CHAMBER AND EJECTOR MEANS COMMUNICATING WITH THE ATMOSPHERE, SAID CHAMBER UPON BEING CONTRACTED BEING ADAPTED TO FORCE FLUID OUT OF SAID RESERVOIR THROUGH ONE OF SAID EJECTOR MEANS INTO THE ATMOSPHERE AND BEING ADAPTED TO DRAW AIR INTO SAID CHAMBER WHEN SAID CHAMBER IS EXPANDED FROM ITS CONTRACTED STATE. 